htsf 2012 laine kainu presentation pub

Satakunnan ammattikorkeakoulu | Tekniikka ja merenkulku

Satakunta University of Applied Sciences | Faculty of Technology and Maritime Management

Service innovation and transfer of service competence in collaboration between Higher Education and entrepreneurial firmsD.Sc Kari Laine & Mr. Ari-Pekka Kainu

Satakunta University of Applied Sciences

Finland



ServiTrans Project

• 12 months (16 –months) RDI project: 1.1.2011 – 30.06.2012

• Budget: 60 000 €–Research from Tekes: 36 000 € (The Finnish Funding

Agency for Technology and Innovation)–Own contribution: 24 000 €

• In cooperation with Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, SC - Research and local small and medium-sized enterprises SMEs)



Main objectives

• To help SMEs to develop value-adding services for their clients by increasing relevant skills and competences

emphasis on developing existing models and tools further

• Effective cooperation models between universities of applied sciences and local SMEs

both SMEs and UAS to benefit from the achieved results.



Research questions

1. What is the importance of service-skills and competences now and in the future?

2. How can we develop service skills together with SMEs?

3. How should we transfer service skills between organisations or individuals?

4. What is the importance of service skills in promoting service-related innovations?

Genuine and effective cooperation with SMEs will help UAS to understand SMEs’ challenges. Therefore, finding solutions will be easer.



Partner Firms on Satakunta Region

• Loiste Marika Raitaniemi www.loiste.net

• Kumppania Oy www.kumppania.fi

• EMDIA Oy www.emdia.fi

Wellfare, Communications and ICT

http://www.loiste.net/

http://www.kumppania.fi/

http://www.emdia.fi/



Research Questions1. What is the meaning of service competence in the future

2. How to develop service competences together with SMEs

3. How to transfer service competence

4. What is the role of service competence in the development of service innovations

Good interaction with SMEs helps university to understand the challenges faced by SMEs and also makes it easier to find solutions for SMEs



ActionsWork packages:

1. Defining context for research Compact literature review Mapping out existing service-related tools and models

2. Empiric field work for testing and further developing existing innovation tools and models 6 workshops

3 on Seinäjoki region 3 on Satakunta region + development team meetings

3. Summary of best practices and sharing the results

National seminar on Helsinki region, several regional meetings and one regional seminar



Challenges listed by firms

1. Service innovation process modeling

2. Making services tangible

3. Creation of service concepts

4. Standardization of services

5. Development of existing services and creation of new services

6. Development of full service concepts

7. Selling total solutions to customers

8. Making service concepts more concrete for the customers

9. True understanding of the customer needs

10. Development of the service innovation process from the knowledge transfer and effectiveness point of view



Challenges listed by firms

1. How to make service a product and how to model the service innovation process

2. How to create sustainable/scalable concepts and make service quality stable

3. Development of existing services and development of new ones (from incremental to radical)

4. Development of total concepts

5. Selling total concepts to customers

6. How to make complex and intangible services tangible for customers

7. How to ensure that it is understood why customer wants the service

8. How to develop processes to better transfer and share knowledge, and how to be more effective at the same time



Actions of empirical WP

Three workshops and several development meetings between

them

To use methods already tested but applied in new ways



Workshop 1

SUAS international week: Learning Cafe method– Participants: 24 experts from 8 countries– Entrepreneurs, teachers, researchers, managers

– Entrepreneurs presented their business case and 2-3 challenges in 10 minutes

– Solving challenges, presentations and group discussions



Experiences on workshop 1

1. Requires good preparation

2. Good discussions, creative response

3. Maybe even more specific challenges would have been possible, maybe with more concrete business cases

4. Unique opportunity for entrepreneurs



Development meetings

• During the project several development meetings were held

• Open for all participants

• In second meeting entrepreneurs got an idea about collaborative communication tool and service



Aplication of 4D method

Kainu & Laine 2012

Based on results of Workshop 1 and firms’ development work between the workshops



Workshops 2 and 3

Appreciative Inquiry’s (AI) 4D circle, light and accelerated version1. Start from strengths

2. Create a vision

3. What is possible

4. Create a plan

½ day

½ day



”DJ Kuutio”

Kainu & Laine 2012



Conclusions

1. AI method is applicable for service innovation and 4D cycle’s light version fits for SMEs but requires commitment and work between the workshops

2. The starting point may be the service itself but soon we end up developing the service process, competences, and management processes

3. Competences and knowledge must be combined

4. Transfer and development of service competences should be solution based

5. Lack of systemic development methods although development is daily

6. Time management is a challenge also in service development

7. Interaction accelerated learning



Role of HEI

• Introduce new methods and models• Match problems and methods• Facilitate development process• Activate partners

• Foster networking

• Model collaboration• Define concepts• Tell the stories



Thank You!

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